What should I do if my property is lost or stolen?

If your property has been lost or stolen, you should file an online report as soon as possible. If you have a record of the serial number on the item(s) or if you have applied your own number, include that in the report. Items lost or stolen that are reported with their serial numbers stand a far better chance of being returned to their owners. An owner has 90 days to claim his/her found property. If you have lost some property and would like to see if it has been turned in, you may contact us by phone. As a finder, you may contact the Evidence and Property Section at 90 days to see if the item remains unclaimed; we will advise you of release procedures at that time.

Who towed my car?

Towed vehicles are not handled by the Evidence and Property Section. Please call SPD Non-Emergency Dispatch for information at (916) 264-5471 or refer to our webpage on towed vehicles.

When can I claim my property that was taken for safekeeping?

Owners must pick up any safekeeping and/or personal property items within 60 days of the item coming into our custody. If you need more time, call or write to request an extension. Unclaimed items, including items belonging to incarcerated persons who have not contacted the Evidence and Property Section, will go to charitable organizations or be disposed of.

I was arrested. What agency has my property?

More than likely, the agency that arrested you has your property. If you were not arrested or contacted by the Sacramento Police Department, you can check one of the following depending on where you were arrested:

When can I claim my property that was booked as evidence?

For all evidence held in which a person has been arrested or cited, we must receive a District Attorney confirmation that the case is closed on all defendants, even if the owner of the property was not arrested or his/her part of the case is concluded. In some cases, the District Attorney may not release items immediately, pending further investigation or appeals. We also must receive a detective release on all assigned cases. Upon closure of the cases and receipt of necessary releases, an owner must pick up his/her property within 15 days. If your mailing address changes, notify the Evidence and Property Section so that you can be notified when your property is available.

What should I bring when I come in to pick up my property?

In order to be helped in the most efficient manner, please bring your government-issued ID (CA driver license/ID, military ID, or passport) along with your case number or Property Record number. A credit card, social security card, birth certificate, and other non-photo items are not acceptable. If necessary, your Sacramento County mugshot can be used to identify you. Bring your notification letter/postcard and/or Property Receipt, if you received one. If it is a firearm, please refer to the "Release of Firearm" section. If there are special circumstances regarding the pick up of your property, please contact our office.

Can someone else pick up my property?

If you would like someone else to pick up your property, we must receive a NOTARIZED letter of authorization from you. If you are picking up property of a person who is currently incarcerated, that person must write a letter (sample) authorizing you to pick up his/her property, and it must be witnessed by an officer/guard at the correctional facility with the officer's signature and printed name, badge number, and contact phone number. For deceased owners, if you do not have paperwork showing you as the Executor of the Estate, or a will with a copy of the death certificate, we will contact the Coroner to attempt to identify the next of kin (who will then be able to pick up the property). Please include the Report Number or the Property Record number on all paperwork in order for us to help you more efficiently.

I live outside of the Sacramento area. Can I have my items mailed to me?

In some circumstances, items can be mailed. The owner/requestor may be required to cover all shipping costs. Please contact the Evidence and Property section for further details.

What are the general types of items booked?

EvidenceEvidence includes items of property which have some connection to a crime (such as tools used to commit a burglary or items recovered from a previous burglary). Because items booked as evidence may be used during the course of a criminal trial, they are processed differently from other items in regard to handling, packaging, etc.

Items held as evidence are usually retained until the prosecution of the criminal case has been concluded on all parties involved in the case. Approval may be required from both the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office and the police detective assigned to the case before property can be released.

Evidence and Property Section personnel DO NOT have information on case dispositions. If you have questions about a criminal case or need to know the current status, please contact the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office at (916) 874-6218 and ask to speak with the Deputy District Attorney in charge of the case (you will need to provide the case number). Online inquiries can be made at the Sacramento County District Attorney. If you don't know the case number, contact the SPD Records Section at (916) 808-0620.

SafekeepingSafekeeping items are those held for the owner for various reasons and not intended to be used as evidence in a criminal case. The owner has 60 days from the date the items come into our custody to pick up his/her property. Unclaimed items are disposed of in accordance with California law. All illegal weapons, ammunition, drugs or narcotics which are confiscated, found, or otherwise turned into the Sacramento Police Department will be destroyed.

Weapons turned in or taken for safekeeping due to a domestic violence incident or an incident where the person is taken in for psychiatric evaluation may be retrieved from the Evidence and Property Section when certain conditions are met and after receiving clearance from the California Department of Justice (DOJ). Weapons unclaimed after 180 days will be destroyed. For contact information, see the paragraph titled "Release of Firearms."

Items held for safekeeping, found property, recovered, and cleared stolen property are released to their owners; proof of ownership may be required. If unclaimed, these items are eventually sold at auction, and can be viewed at PropertyRoom.com. Some items in dangerous or unusable condition will be destroyed.

FoundCalifornia law requires found property with a value of $100 or more to be turned over to the Police Department. The finder will receive a receipt. If the property remains unclaimed for 90 days, the finder may claim it. If the item is worth more than $250 it must be advertised in the newspaper for 7 days after the 90-day wait period, prior to release to the finder.

If you have found property, please call the police as soon as possible. Found items may not be lost, but may actually have been stolen or involved in the commission of a crime which police may currently be investigating. Found property can be turned over to any police officer or brought to any police facility.

If you find property in another city (outside Sacramento), please call or go to the police department or sheriff's station in the city or county where you found the item and turn it in there.

What are the specific conditions for certain items booked?

Weapons and Ammunition
If you own/possess any rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition or any other type of weapon that you wish to get rid of, you can bring it to any police facility for destruction. All firearms MUST be unloaded prior to transporting them to the police facility. Please DO NOT attempt to bring a loaded weapon into the police facility. If you are not familiar with firearms and are unsure how to unload a weapon, please call SPD non-emergency dispatch at (916) 264-5471 and explain to the dispatcher that you have a loaded firearm you want destroyed, but are unsure how to unload it. An officer will be dispatched to retrieve the firearm.

If you find a gun, or any other weapon outside, DO NOT TOUCH IT! Call the SPD non-emergency dispatch at (916) 264-5471, and an officer will be sent to collect it. It is very important that the weapon remain undisturbed until an officer arrives. The firearm may have been discarded after use in a crime and could be a key item in a current police investigation.

Release of FirearmsCalifornia law requires that any time a firearm is reclaimed from a law enforcement agency, the owner must undergo a background check by the California Department of Justice (DOJ). This is done by contacting DOJ at (916) 227-7527 or visiting the California DOJ website. They will provide information on how to file an application for a firearm release. This form is called the Law Enforcement Gun Release Application. After DOJ conducts a background check, they will provide a letter to the applicant authorizing him/her to own/possess firearms. An additional check will be made when you come in to claim the weapon. This is to ensure that there has not been a change to your record since the DOJ check.

Please bring your government ID, the original DOJ letter, and locking gun case/gun lock for your firearm. In order to claim a firearm, you MUST arrive at our facility at least 1 hour BEFORE the close of business. Be prepared to wait up to 1 hour. If you arrive less than the 1 hour prior to close of business, you may be asked to return another day.

California law also requires ALL firearms (pistols and long guns) to be registered prior to release. Please make sure your firearms are registered in your name before you start the DOJ background process.

If the firearm has been taken as evidence in a crime or suspected crime, clearance may have to be obtained from the investigating officer.

ExplosivesPlease DO NOT bring explosives, chemicals, or other hazardous materials to the Police Department for destruction. If you have or find any types of explosives, unknown ammunition or other types of flammables (i.e., dynamite, blasting caps, fireworks, or antique military items or ordnance) or any other possible volatile hazardous materials you want to dispose of, please call SPD non-emergency dispatch at (916) 264-5471.

An officer may be dispatched to your location to determine if experts are required to secure the material. Old explosives, ammunition and other chemicals can be very unstable, sensitive to movement, and CAN EXPLODE if moved or handled incorrectly. Specially trained experts must be brought in to handle these items.

MoneyTo claim money taken as evidence or for safekeeping, a money claim form may have to be filled out depending on the circumstances. Call the Evidence and Property Section at (916) 808-5237 for more information.

Property ReceiptsIf items are collected or taken from you by Sacramento Police officers, they may issue or have you sign an Evidence and Property Booking Receipt . This form will list the items removed or taken. The receipt will also contain an SPD report number on the top right corner of the page. Please refer to this report number when making any inquiries.